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by J.L. Snyder

Publisher: Bookstand Publishing

Date of Publishing: July 12th 2012

Genre: YA Fantasy

Suggested Ages: 12+

16 year old Kaí-Ling was raised in the ways of the sword. The child of a former samurai warrior and an American mother embarks on a journey to right the wrongs life has dealt her. The lifelong lessons and skills she acquires as well as the friends she makes along the way aid her in her quest to fulfill her destiny. Robbed of her father’s love before she was born, Kaí-Ling now seeks vengeance upon those who took him from her.

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Battle Cry 2 - Shadow of the Sword

by J.L. Snyder

Publisher: Bookstand Publishing

Date of Publishing: August 20th 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Suggested Ages: 12+

Fate dealt a heavy blow to Kai-Ling before she was even born. The death of her father, a man she never knew, haunted her every day as she grew up. Struck down in the prime of his life, Kai-Ling's father was never able to know his daughter. He was never able to watch her grow up or give her the love only a father could. Now that the first part of her journey is behind
her, Kai-Ling is ready to face her destiny. Using the skills, training and knowledge she has acquired, she is prepared to enact vengeance upon those who took him from her. How Kai-Ling handles the new challenges and pitfalls on her way to seeking revenge is a testament to everything she has learned.

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Meet the Author Q&A - J.L. Snyder

What made you want to to write books? I always had a gift for writing. In fact, my high school English teacher was the first person who told me that I had the talent to be a writer. Being a teenager at the time, I didn't think much of it. Fast forward many years into the future, I met my wife, the angel of my life. She was the one who reignited my interest in writing. She supports me 200% in my writing.

Where does your inspiration come from? Honestly mine inspiration for what I write comes from comic book and Manga. I'm still a kid at heart. I love reading comic books and Manga. I'm also a big fan of cartoons and Anime. In fact, "Battle Cry" & "Battle Cry 2 Shadow of the Sword" were inspired by the cartoon Samurai Jack.

How long have you been writing? I began writing again when I was in college in early 2000. I published a few poems and prose pieces before I published "Battle Cry."

What's your daily routine? My ideal routine would be to write several hours everyday. However with my plate being currently full, I take advantage of writing in the mornings during the week. On the weekends I make an effort to write mid-day or evenings. I love writing in different places, at home or in the park. I'm inspired by different locations.

How long does it take you to write a book - From the first word to completion? That depends. My current book series is taking longer than I anticipated because I haven't had much time to write this year. Besides the fact that I work full time, I'm involved in many personal projects this year. I should be able to get back in the flow of my writing in August of this year.

What do you do in your spare time? I like to use my smoker and smoke choice meats! It drives my neighbors crazy!!

TV shows - what's your favourite, past and present?

Past- Kojak, The Highlander, Luther.

Present - Legends of Tomorrow, Iron Fist, Luke Cage.

Do you have any future projects you're working on? Yes, I'm currently working on a crime series.

Seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow thinks that playing the role of the fairy queen Titiana in a production of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream could be her lucky break - if she can pull it off.

But when she meets the handsome Sonny Flannery, Kelley has to face the shocking truth that the world of Faeries is all too real - and that she an unwitting part of it. Sonny warns Kelley that she is no mere mortal, and that she is being haunted by powerful forces from the Faerie realm.

Now, Kelley must come to terms with her heritage - and her growing feelings for Sonny - if she wants to save not only herself, but also the human world that she holds dear.

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Review:

For me, its very hard to beat Julie Kagawa's The Iron King series, however Wondrous Strange does a good job.

Kelley is launched into a world of Season Courts, Seelie and UnSeelie, and learns something about her past while she's about it.

While the story is quick and is brought along by great dialogue, and quirky happenings along Kelley's adventure, it must be noted that there wasn't really anything new or greatly original about the story.

Most of the unpredictability happens closer to the end, and around two thirds of the way through I was getting a little bit bored. The romance was slow burning, a nice change from the insta-love bunch, but still was a little too tame with a lacking of passion.

Regardless, I did enjoy it, and will pick up the next in the series, but I wasn't blown away by it.

-CBx

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About the Author

LESLEY LIVINGSTON is a writer living in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of twelve books to date. Her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE, was winner of the CLA Young Adult Book of the Year 2010, a White Pine Honour Book, shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Speculative Fiction, and in 2015 was named one of CBC’s “100 YA Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian”. DARKLIGHT, the second book in this series was a finalist for the Indigo Teen Read Awards. The concluding volume in the trilogy, TEMPESTUOUS, was a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award. These books have sold to more than ten countries to date, and WONDROUS STRANGE has been optioned for film/TV by Shaftesbury Films. Her other trilogies have both won the Copper Cylinder award for Young Adult fiction.

On a storm-swept terrace high above the streets of Manhattan, Mason Starling holds the fate of the world in her hands as her beloved Fennrys lies bleeding at her feet, his life hanging in the balance. The ancient Norse prophecy of Ragnarok stands poised on the knife edge of fulfilment.

Mason’s transformation into a Valkyrie—a chooser of the slain and the one who will ultimately bring about the end of the world—is complete. Still, she remains determined to thwart her father’s apocalyptic desires. Whatever is to come, it won’t happen because of what the prophecy foretold, or what Gunnar Starling has planned, or what the fates have already decided.

What happens next will be up to Mason and the Fennrys Wolf. The world had better hope they haven’t reached the limits of what their souls and swords can survive.
Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, and set in the same universe as Lesley Livingston’s much-loved WONDROUS STRANGE trilogy, with roots in Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and Celtic myths and legends, this thrilling conclusion to the acclaimed Starling trilogy is filled to the hilt with sweeping adventure and soaring romance.

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Review:

Continuing exactly where Descendant left off, Mason is left begging Rafe, as Anubis, to save Fennrys's life. This will make Fennrys a wolf, and will fulfill a prophecy of sorts.

If the other two books were considered fast paced, then this one is superhuman fast. The story speeds up, if that's at all possible, and jets through vast epical backstory telling us about Fennrys and his own family, and how the school, Mason and her father are all involved in Ragnarok. Most importantly, why her father believes this should come to pass especially when he is the man who has everything.

The mythical gods continue to weave their way into these teenagers lives and soon the world cannot control what is happening as past and present collide.

This book really impressed me. Starling and Descendant were somewhat troublesome in parts but if it all came down to this book then I would say any lover of young adult fantasy should read this series.

I do love mythical books and loved how Livingston tries continually to add small elements of smaller myths into her story lines. It might be as inconsequential as the guy who Heather meets on the train, but it proved to be a vital part of the story later on. At the beginning you think, why include this, and then you have that 'ah-ha' moment when it all makes sense.

At the end of Transcendent my admiration for Mason grew exponentially. She's now become one of my favourite characters, and I would love to read more from her. Hopefully in first person point of view next time. I also liked Fennrys, who played a vital role in Mason's grounding. He was the only one who wouldn't let her embrace her true fate, and the only one who could bring her out of her reverie as a Valkyrie.

The gods meeting in modern day is exciting and I don't think I've read anyone who's been able to achieve this quite so thoroughly.

I would recommend this series if you follow myths, but also if you enjoy a group camaraderie story where everyone has a role to play in defeating the ultimate enemy. I'm now a Lesley Livingston fan!

-CBx

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About the Author

LESLEY LIVINGSTON is a writer living in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of twelve books to date. Her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE, was winner of the CLA Young Adult Book of the Year 2010, a White Pine Honour Book, shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Speculative Fiction, and in 2015 was named one of CBC’s “100 YA Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian”. DARKLIGHT, the second book in this series was a finalist for the Indigo Teen Read Awards. The concluding volume in the trilogy, TEMPESTUOUS, was a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award. These books have sold to more than ten countries to date, and WONDROUS STRANGE has been optioned for film/TV by Shaftesbury Films. Her other trilogies have both won the Copper Cylinder award for Young Adult fiction.